The European HD DVD Promotional Group has released the latest attach rate figures for the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy and the Benelux countries. According to the independent research group GfK, European HD DVD player owners in the bought an average of 3.8 movies while only 0.6 movies were sold per Blu-ray player.
The European HD DVD Promotional Group has announced that European HD DVD player owners have already bought an average of 3.8 movies each, compared to 0.6 movies sold per Blu-ray player.

The figures were collated by independent research group GfK and analyse the number of movies sold for all HD players (standalone players and consoles) across the UK, France, Germany, Spain Italy and Benelux countries.

The overall attach rate is highest in Spain, where HD DVD owners have bought an average of 5.7 movies per player, which is over 14 times the attach rate for Blu ray (at 0.4 per player).
Take note that these figures are for all HD players which, in this case, includes both standalone players and consoles. Considering how many PS3 owners aren't using the console to watch Blu-ray movies, it shouldn't be too surprising that the numbers are skewed in HD DVD's favor. If you'd like to read more, the entire article can be found here. Add a comment
Maxell has announced that they will be releasing their new inkjet printable 4x BD-R media to the Japanese market on November 26th. The company also plans to ship their double layer 50GB BD-RE media at this time. Here's part of their press release, translated from Japanese:

This time Maxell will release a recordable BD-R discs, 4x speed record corresponds to a disk to move to significantly reduce the time. Additional label, the ink jet printer compatible with the printing layer and label printer that can print directly, as well as water-based ink pens HAJIKAZU also can be hand-painted. In particular, the "super-whitening HIROBIRO label," The adoption of BD-R discs, the disk around the parts of the color Merat, wide can be printed, recorded, as well as from the original library building have fun MASU.

The simultaneous release of the corresponding single-sided double layer recording rewritable BD-RE DL disc (50 GB), as is the quality of high-definition video in 260 minutes that long recording, and the VHS videotape sensation, KURISHI recording can be.
While Maxell has not announced any prices, AV Watch expects their inkjet printable 4x BD-R discs to cost about 1,700-1,800 Yen ($15.50-$16.40US) and their 50GB BD-R media to cost about 5,500 Yen ($50US). More information can be found here. Add a comment

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With Paramount deciding to endorse HD DVD back in August, the number of Blu-ray titles dropped by 29, giving HD DVD the advantage in regards to the total number of available high-def titles. According to Home Media Magazine, Blu-ray regained its lead over HD DVD in early November with 332 available titles.
When Paramount Home Entertainment and DreamWorks Animation SKG Blu-ray Disc titles were taken out of the picture in August, Blu-ray lost 29 titles in its repertoire. That doesn’t include three titles that had been announced, but not released.

HD DVD’s stint as leader in terms of high-def releases proved short-lived, however, as in the first week of November Blu-ray regained its lead in terms of total titles available to consumers.

According to figures from The DVD Release Report, total Blu-ray titles available at retail passed HD DVD for the first time since the Paramount/DreamWorks decision, 332 to 328, the week ended Oct. 31. Companies that support Blu-ray also have 66 titles in the pipeline, compared to 42 for HD DVD backers. Those numbers include four HD DVD and 11 Blu-ray titles released Nov. 6.
While Blu-ray's lead is small, it doesn't look like HD DVD will catch up any time soon. If you'd like to read more, the entire article can be found here. Add a comment
Pioneer Australia has leaked some details on their 20x DVD writer, the DVR-115D. This new drive features 20x DVD±R, 10x DVD±R DL, 8x DVD+RW and 6x DVD-RW writing speeds. Here are some of the specs for the DVR-115D:



Writing Speeds:
DVD+R: 20x, 18x, 16x, 12x, 8x, 6x, 4x. 2.4x
DVD-R: 20x, 18x, 16x, 12x, 8x, 6x, 4x, 2x, 1x
DVD+R DL: 10x, 8x, 6x, 4x, 2.4x
DVD-R DL: 10x, 8x, 6x, 4x, 2x
DVD+RW: 8x, 6x, 4x, 2.4x
DVD-RW: 6x, 4x, 2x, 1x
CD-R: 40x, 32x, 24x, 16x, 10x
CD-RW: 32x, 24x, 20x, 16x, 10x, 4x

Read Speeds:
DVD-ROM (Single): 16x Max
DVD-ROM (Dual): 12x Max
DVD±R: 12x Max
DVD±RW: 8x Max
DVD±R DL: 8x Max
DVD-RAM: 5x Max
DVD-Video: 5x Max
CD-ROM/CD-R: 40x Max
CD-RW: 32x Max

While the DVR-115D lacks DVD-RAM writing capabilities, it would not be surprising if Pioneer released similar models with support this feature as well as Serial ATA. No word yet on availability. As we find out more, we'll let you know. In the mean time, more information can be found here. Add a comment
Earlier this week, Kingston announced that the DataTraveler Mini Fun and DataTraveler Mini - Migo Edition USB flash drives are now shipping in capacities up to 4GB. As an extra bonus, the DataTraveler Mini Fun also comes preloaded with the game Soduko.

Kingston Technology Company, Inc., the independent world leader in memory products, today announced its DataTraveler Mini Fun and DataTraveler Mini - Migo Edition USB Flash drives are now shipping in capacities up to 4GB and the DT Mini Fun now features the internationally popular game Sudoku as well as the previously included Atlantis from Big Fish Games.
The DataTraveler Mini Fun and DataTraveler Mini - Migo Edition are available in 1GB, 2GB and 4GB capacities and retail from $16 up to $62. Full details can be found here. Add a comment

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Broadcom announced today that LG has chosen the Broadcom BCM7440 for its new Super Blu BH200 disc player. This system-on-a-chip (SoC) solution is capable of playing back high-def content on both Blu-ray and HD DVD and offers support for interactive technologies like BD-Java and HDi.
Broadcom Corporation(Nasdaq: BRCM), a global leader in semiconductors for wired and wirelesscommunications, today announced that its highly integrated Blu-rayDisc(R)/HD DVD system-on-a-chip (SoC) solution has been selected by LGElectronics to power its dual-format Super Blu(TM) BH200 high definitiondisc player. By combining full support for both Blu-ray Disc and HD DVDformats in a single SoC, Broadcom enables leading consumer electronicsmanufacturers to build universal high definition players capable of playingback all high definition movie titles thereby increasing the highdefinition entertainment choices for consumers.

The Broadcom(R) BCM7440 SoC solution is a single-chip platform thatfully meets the requirements of next generation Blu-ray Disc and HD DVDplayer designs. It provides the multiple processing cores and the necessaryperformance required to support next generation interactive technologiesand network connected applications currently being developed by Hollywoodstudios using sophisticated BD-Java (Blu-ray Disc) and HDi (HD DVD)technologies. This includes enhanced interactive menus, gamingcapabilities, real time director's comments, and full support of networkedinteractivity from select and forthcoming Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD titles.The Broadcom BCM7440 SoC continues to be the only solution in the industrythat fully supports both Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD formats in a singlemonolithic IC, providing consumers with exactly what the film's authors hadintended -- the best possible high definition multimedia experience.
If you'd like to read more, Broadcom's entire press release can be found here. Add a comment
As most of you know, Walmart and Best Buy dropped the price of the Toshiba HD-A2 DVD Player to $99 last Friday. Unless you lived in Wisconsin (like me), where prices remained at $185, these players sold out in a matter of minutes. According to Video Business, this sale gave HD DVD's market share a major boost, with retailers selling more than 90,000 players between Friday and Sunday.
The HD DVD format significantly pumped its installed base over the weekend, as dueling store clearances sold an estimated 90,000 Toshiba players, according to sources close to retailers.

That tally covers Friday to Sunday sales of Toshiba’s second-generation HD-A2 model, which Wal-Mart and Best Buy sold for about $99 on Nov. 2. That’s $200 less than Toshiba’s $299 list price and $100 off widespread retail pricing of $199.

The $99 players made up most of the 90,000 units sold, a source said.
Blu-ray backers really need to get on the ball and cut the prices of their players. The holiday shopping season is already upon us and, with prices like this, consumers are going to go HD DVD. If you'd like to read more, the entire article can be found here. Add a comment
At this year's ODS meeting, Sony presented their results on four-layer Micro-Reflector recording. Since then, the company has been working to increase data transmission speed, memory density and the number of recording layers. According to Tech-On, Sony recently demonstrated a medium equivalent to a seven-layer disc and announced plans to develop a 20-layer 500GB disc by 2010.
Sony Corp wrote and read data on a medium equivalent to a seven-layer disc by using "Micro-Reflector method," a multilayer recording technology using holographic recording.

The company calculated the error rates of reproduced signals after signal conditioning such as equalizing. Until now, the company wrote and read on discs of up to four layers and announced only the eye patterns of reproduced signals.

This time, the achievement was announced at ISOM' 07, an international conference on optical memory, which took place Oct 21-25, 2007, in Singapore. At the conference, Sony made speeches about speeding up data transmission speed, improving memory density per layer and increasing the number of recording layers even more.
If you'd like to read more, Tech-On's entire report can be found here. Add a comment